


It's A Good Place To Start

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 20:55:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18978193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: Set after the tv series, and inspired by a prompt on Pinterest posted by 'Writers Write'Barbara and Tommy are arguing (no surprise there then!)





	It's A Good Place To Start

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended
> 
> _I've always felt that the arguing between Tommy and Barbara allowed them an outlet for the emotional frustrations they both carried deep inside of them because of their inability to give voice to the love they held for each other... they were both so stubborn, and terrified to lose the friendship they shared because they needed each other as much as they needed oxygen. I'd like to think that one day one of their 'subconsciouses' would overrule them... this is my take on that._

As soon as the words ‘I love you’ had left my mouth, I had wanted to take them back. I hadn’t meant to say them, but had blurted them out in anger; the heat of the moment overriding the cast iron control I normally wielded over this particular subject.

He had stopped mid-rant, and for once I couldn’t read his expression. I held my breath; my mind working nineteen to the dozen, trying to find a way to undo the damage I was sure my outburst had caused.

The seconds seemed like hours as I waited for him to say something, anything. I thought about laughing, pretending it was a joke, but I couldn’t, because it wasn’t.

An eternity passed before he finally found his voice.

“Did you mean what you said?”

“The words; yes. To say them out loud in that manner; no.”

“I can’t unhear them.”

“I realise that.”

He took a step closer, and I noticed a tremble in his hand as he reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

“Do you also realise that the feeling is mutual?”

“I had my suspicions. The way you held me outside the Queen’s Head. The tears in your eyes as you told me you would miss me if I quit the force, and the way you counted down the days we had left together. The night you came to my door needing a safe place to lay down your burdens, it all pointed to one thing, but I also knew we had an unspoken agreement to ignore the elephant in the room so that we could continue working together. I’ve broken that agreement.”

He took another step closer, and this time his hands rested on my shoulders, his gaze meeting mine with an intensity I had seen before but had been too scared to acknowledge or name.

“I’m glad you did.”

“Honestly?”

“Honestly.”

“If we do this, if we cross the line in the sand, there’s no going back.”

“The final decision is yours. I know what I want, but I’m not going to force you. If you want to walk away then…”

This time it was me who stepped forward, my arms going around his waist, tugging him so that our bodies were flush against each other. 

He smiled; his hands moving from my shoulders to my back, holding me as tightly as I was holding him.

“You’re really sure about this?”

“What do you think?”

His smile grew wider, “That I should shut up and kiss you.”

“It’s a good place to start.”


End file.
